Sony WH-CH720N Review

In this review of the Sony WH-CH720N, I’ll be diving deep into my hands-on experience with these wireless noise-canceling headphones. After spending days testing their performance in different environments, I’ve gained a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. From daily commutes with active noise cancellation (ANC) to extended listening sessions to test the battery life, I’ve put the WH-CH720N through real-world use. In this review, I’ll break down everything, from sound quality to comfort and features, so you can decide if these headphones are the right choice for you.

Design & Aesthetics 87/100

The Sony WH-CH720N are over-ear, closed-back wireless headphones with a dynamic transducer. Their design is similar to the Sony WH-CH710N, with a cutout in the ear cup to fit the yoke. These headphones are available in three colors: Black, Blue, and White. No matter which color you choose, the design is mostly monochrome, with only the brand name standing out in a subtle contrast on the headband. They share design similarities with the on-ear Sony WH-CH520 Wireless headphones.

These Sony headphones are compatible with any operating system and are easy to use. They have good, responsive controls and five physical buttons. The playback and listening mode buttons are on the right ear cup, while the power and pairing controls are on the left ear cup. The buttons are intuitive and offer clicky feedback. There’s also a raised bump on the multi-function button to help you distinguish it from the volume controls by touch, though it might feel too subtle for some users.

The controls on the headphones are designed for ease of use and functionality. The power button is located on the left ear cup, where a single press turns the headphones on or off, while pressing and holding the button activates Bluetooth pairing mode. On the right ear cup, the ANC/AMB button allows users to switch between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode with a single press; this feature can be customized or expanded to include an ANC off mode through the accompanying app. Volume controls are also situated on the right ear cup, with a press of the '+' button to increase the volume and a press of the '-' button to decrease it. Additionally, the multi-function button on the right ear cup offers multiple functions: a single press plays or pauses audio or answers/ends calls, a double press skips to the next track, a triple press returns to the previous track, and pressing and holding launches the voice assistant or rejects calls.

A voice prompt tells you when the headphones are connected to a device, and chimes notify you when the volume reaches its minimum or maximum level. You can also press the power button to hear the battery level.

These controls make it easy to manage music, calls, and noise cancellation modes, ensuring a smooth listening experience.

Durability and Portability

The Sony WH-CH720N headphones aren't very portable. Although the ear cups can swivel to lay flat, they don't fold up to save space, making them bulkier for travel. Additionally, they don’t come with a carrying case, so there's no protection from damage when you're on the go. However, they are lightweight, which makes it comfortable to rest them around your neck with the ear cups flat and out of the way.

These headphones don't require a transmitter, so you can easily connect them wirelessly to most devices.

Materials and Build Quality

The build quality of the Sony WH-CH720N is reasonable but falls short of high-end standards. Most of the headphones are made from plastic, which feels a bit flimsy and tends to creak when you move them. The padding, covered in thin faux leather, doesn’t feel particularly durable and may wear out faster with regular use.

On the plus side, the headband has a metal reinforcement inside, making it stronger and less likely to break. The ports are smartly recessed into the ear cups, helping to protect them from damage, and the buttons are secure and don’t wobble.

However, compared to more premium models like the Sony WH-1000XM4, these headphones feel less sturdy and more likely to show signs of wear over time. While they offer practical design features, they don’t have the same durability or solid feel as higher-end options.

Comfort and Fit

The Sony WH-CH720N headphones are lightweight, weighing only 0.41 lbs, making them comfortable to wear for extended periods. Compared to other light headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5, these feel even lighter. The headband fits comfortably on the head, and the ear pads are well-padded, but the Jabra Evolve2 65 is more comfortable than it. They don't apply a lot of clamping force, just 0.8 lbs, so they won't feel too tight. However, the foam in the ear pads isn't very thick, and the faux leather can get sticky after wearing them for a while. If you have larger ears or prefer wearing the headphones further back on your head, you might notice that the ear cups touch your ears.

In terms of stability, these headphones are decent. While they aren't ideal for intense physical activities like running or exercising, they stay in place just fine for everyday use, such as sitting at a desk or walking around. Overall, they offer a comfortable and secure fit for casual use.

Sound Quality

The Sony WH-CH720N headphones have a warm and bass-heavy sound profile right out of the box. With a bass amount of 2.43 dB, they provide a lot of extra thump, punch, and boom, making them great for genres like EDM and hip-hop. However, this strong bass can make busy mixes sound a bit muddy. Vocals and lead instruments may seem veiled and lacking in detail, while high-pitched sounds like cymbals can come across as sharp and piercing.

Thankfully, the companion app offers a graphic EQ and sound presets that let you adjust the sound to your liking. If you prefer a more neutral sound, the JBL Tune 770NC Wireless headphones might be a better option, as they offer a more balanced profile without as much bass bloat.

When testing the headphones with the active noise cancelling (ANC) on, we noticed that turning ANC off adds more bass and rumble, but it also makes the sound a bit muddier. There's no noticeable difference between listening with ANC on or using a wired connection.

The frequency response consistency of these noise canceling wireless headphones is mediocre. They can deliver inconsistent bass depending on the fit. For example, if you have thick hair or wear glasses, the seal around your ears may be broken, leading to a drop in bass. Additionally, the headphones are sensitive to how they're positioned, which can cause variations in treble delivery. For the best sound, it's important to make sure they fit well each time you wear them.

The bass accuracy is satisfactory, with noticeable thump, rumble, and boom. Songs like "Just Wanna Rock" by Lil Uzi Vert have a full-bodied bassline, but the heavy bass can clutter vocals and other details in the music.

The mid-range performance is excellent, with a relatively flat response that keeps vocals present. However, the bass exaggeration bleeds into the low-mids, causing a cluttered sound in areas like rhythm guitars. A dip in the high-mid range can make vocals sound slightly pushed back in the mix.

The treble accuracy is decent, but it has some inconsistencies due to how the headphones fit. The treble is uneven, which can make vocals sound a bit honky, with less detail in higher notes. Exaggerations in the mid-treble make certain sounds, like "S" or "T" in vocals and cymbals, come across as sharp or piercing. When combined with the strong bass, this results in vocals that feel warm and slightly muffled, while high-pitched sounds like cymbals are too harsh.

ANC (Noise Canceling)

In terms of noise cancelling, the Sony WH-CH720N performs well but not as effectively as high-end models like the Sony WH-1000XM5. The ANC helps reduce background noises, especially in the bass and midrange, such as rumbling or chatter. The passive isolation is also decent at blocking out high-pitched sounds like clattering. However, for full noise cancellation, these headphones don't reach the performance level of more premium models. But this model better than JBL Tune 770NC or Jabra Elite 45h headphones in noise isolation.

When it comes to passive isolation, the WH-CH720N effectively reduces high-pitched sounds. The ANC system also helps to minimize lower frequencies, such as the rumble of a bus or chatter in a crowded room. However, while the ANC does make a difference, it falls short in certain situations. For example, in environments like airplane cabins, where low-pitched sounds dominate, the noise isolation can be disappointing.

In everyday scenarios, such as in the office or on the street, the passive isolation does most of the work. It blocks out many high-pitched noises effectively, but lower-frequency sounds can still seep through. You might notice some of these bass frequencies, particularly in busy or noisy environments.

It's important to note that the peaks seen in the bass region during testing appear to be due to the interaction between the headphones and our testing rig. Fortunately, this is not something you’ll experience when wearing headphones normally.

As for leakage performance, the WH-CH720N does a good job. Sound leakage occurs, but it's primarily low in volume. The audio that does leak tends to sound somewhat full-bodied. This means that if you’re listening to music or a podcast at high volumes in a noisy place, the chances are slim that people nearby will be disturbed. the Sony WH-CH720N provides a solid balance of noise isolation and leakage performance, making them a good choice for many listening situations.

Battery Life

The Sony WH-CH720N noise canceling wireless headphones have impressive battery performance. They come with a rechargeable battery and offer a continuous battery life of 38.4 hours during testing, even though they are advertised to last around 35 hours with the active noise cancelling (ANC) feature on. If you turn off ANC, the manufacturer claims you can get up to 50 hours of continuous playback, though actual battery life may vary depending on how you use them.

One helpful feature is standby mode, which automatically helps conserve battery life if you forget to turn the headphones off. Unfortunately, you can’t listen to audio while the headphones are charging, but passive playback is available if you want to use them with a wired connection.

Charging is done through a USB-C port, and the charge time is about 2.5 hours. The headphones also support fast charging, so if you're in a rush, just three minutes of charging can give you about one hour of playback. Overall, the long battery life and fast charging make these headphones highly convenient for extended use.

Connectivity and Usability

The Sony WH-CH720N wireless headphones come with a 1/8" TRS cable, allowing for an analog audio connection. In our tests, the latency for wired use when the headphones are powered on was somewhat high for an analog connection, at 34.4 ms, but this delay won’t be noticeable when watching video content. If used passively (without power), the latency is much lower and virtually negligible. The headphones also come with a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging, but you can't use this cable for audio.

These headphones support Bluetooth 5.2 this makes Sony headphone better than Skullcandy Crusher Evo and Beats Studio Pro, because they support Bluetooth 5. This model can pair with up to two devices at once, which is useful if you need to connect to both a PC and a smartphone simultaneously. However, they don't support quick pairing for Android or iOS devices. The Bluetooth line-of-sight range is impressive, reaching up to 334.65 ft (102.00 m).

As for audio codecs, the WH-CH720N supports AAC and SBC, but they don’t include support for Sony’s LDAC codec, which is used for higher-quality audio on models like the Sony WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5. The latency with the SBC codec is quite high, at 290 ms, which can cause noticeable audio-video desynchronization, especially on PCs. However, some apps may compensate for this delay, depending on the device, codec, and other factors.

These headphones can connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs with full audio and microphone functionality. If you prefer using the analog connection, the 1/8" TRS cable supports audio only, without microphone input.

Mic Performance and Call Quality

The Sony WH-CH720N's integrated microphone has decent recording quality. While your voice sounds fairly natural, there is some slight distortion. However, speech remains clear enough to be easily understood.

The microphone features a low-frequency extension (LFE) of 85.99 Hz and a high-frequency extension (HFE) of 6,933.79 Hz, providing a broad frequency response. The frequency response standard deviation is measured at 3.41 dB, indicating consistent performance across frequencies. Additionally, the weighted total harmonic distortion (THD) is recorded at 36.525, which reflects the fidelity of the audio. The microphone also has a gain of 3.1 dB, enhancing its ability to capture sound effectively.

The mic is integrated (not in-line or boom-style), and there is no option for a detachable boom. It also features a noise gate, which is always on, and has Speech-to-Noise Ratio (SpNR) of 25.25 dB.

When it comes to handling background noise, the mic performs okay. It does a decent job of separating your voice from moderate background noise, but the overall speech quality drops, and some noise still occasionally comes through. In noisy environments, especially with loud and sudden sounds, your voice can get drowned out as the mic struggles to reject the noise effectively.

The microphone's performance in handling speech and pink noise and speech and subway noise is rated at 6.5, meaning it provides an average experience when used in noisy environments.

Final Verdict 

After thoroughly testing the Sony WH-CH720N, it’s clear these headphones offer a solid balance of performance, comfort, and affordability. The active noise cancellation works effectively, especially in moderately noisy environments, and the battery life is impressive, providing hours of uninterrupted listening. While the sound quality is clean and detailed, the lack of support for higher-end codecs may be a downside for audiophiles. However, the lightweight design, multipoint connection, and convenient quick-charge feature make them a great choice for everyday users. Overall, if you're looking for dependable noise-canceling headphones at a reasonable price, the Sony WH-CH720N is a strong contender.